PAGS FOUR. ASTORIA, OREGON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4. CDc morning flstorian ESTABLISHED 1873 PUBLISHED BY ASTORIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY. RATES. By mail, per year $6 00 By mail, per month 50 By carriers, per miuth CO THE SEMI-WEEKLY ASTOKIAN'. By mail, per year, in advance ?1 00 TRANSMUTATION AGAIN. When Sir "William Ramsey was in this city two or three weeks ago he referred to the possibility that he was on the verge of an important chemical dis covery, says the New York Tribune. Evidence had been obtained which suggested, though it did not yet prove, that one element might be made from an other with the assistance of concentrated energy, like that emitted by radium. At that time The Tri bune mentioned that an inkling of the facts was afforded by a letter which Sir "William had written to "Nature." Further information is now afforded by belated reports of the recent meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The kind of change of one material into another which formed the subject of Sir "William's experi ments is not identical with that revealed in his earlier discovery the evolution of helium. This is regarded as a product of disintegration. The newer researches were meant to find out whether a transformation could be effected by the opposite process building np. "What Sir "William now de cribes is the formation of a deposit on the walls ' of several glass vessels which had long been exposed to the influence of a solution of radium. One of the substances which he thinks were developed there re- sembles lead, apparently came from the glass or the air, and is attributed to the action of the so- called "beta" rays, thrown off by the radium The experiments were interrupted in such a man ner that no final conclusions could be drawn, but their director wisely made a preliminary announce ment of the result. By thus putting himself on rec ord, he secures whatever credit is justly due him for pioneer work, but in the meantime he states the ease with commendable caution. It will be neces sary for him or others to carry the research much further. It will then be known whether any new matter was created at att, and the nature of his product or products can be determined with pre cision. If elements hitherto unknown have thus been v generated, their properties should be ascer tained. If an old one lead, for instance was pro duced by a method hitherto unpractised, the fact should be fully demonstrated. Years may elapse before these results can be attained, but it is greatly to be hoped that Sir William's perseverance will match his insight and past activity. If his suspicions should be verified, a good many people will be eager to learn whether the discovery possesses any commercial value. The distinguished chemist himself is reticent on that point, doubtless feeling that any expression of opinion at present would be premature. Without a scientific train ing, however, it is easy to see that at least two questions must be fettled before such an inquiry can be answered. One relates to the utility of the product, and the other to the cost of obtaining it. Many of the elements already known have failed thus far to render any service to humanity. Ilence, there is no telling in advance what to expect from future additions to their number. Again, if the "beta" rays required for the conversion could be obtained only from such an expensive substance as radium, it would ifever pay to use them indus trially. The "cathode" rays of a vacuum tube are believed to be identical in nature with the "b;ta" rays of radium, but they are less powerful. The fact that Sir William kept his glass under the in fluence of a solution of radium for nearly a year in order to secure what proved to be a microscopic quantity of product is not encouraging to the theory that any substitute could be found, but it is too soon to judge.. Nevertheless, if the discovery did nothing more than throw some light on some of na ture's operations, it could not fail to add materially to its author's reputation. "point with pride" in the way of legislation for American shipping during the fifty years of their party's existence. It is not surprising, therefore, that Republican newspapers are preserving, for the most part, a discreet siloucce on what there may be if anything, in the merchant marine issue.. Not so tlie Parker "organs," however. "The pretence, repeated for a hundred times by President Roosevelt," says the New York World, "that the Republican party is the particular friend of the American merchant marine, is one of the most amazingly audacious things in American history." And, after citing various shipping planks in Re. publican national platforms during the past thirty two years, it shows that, with the Republican party in absolute control of the government from 1SG0 to 1S72, with the presidency in its hands for twenty four years since then, the senate for twenty-eight years and all branches of the government together (including the house) for sixteen years, American ships are now carrying only about 9 per cent, of our own imports and exports! This is a sorry showing, indeed ! It must be said in fairness to the party of protection, however, that some of its leaders have persistently triedto "do something" for our shipping in the way of pro tection, through most of the forty-four years since 1SC0. But they have always failed ami always either through open hostility to their measures in their own party, through lukewarmncss in the same quarter, or through treachery at the critical mo ment. Republican effort has not been lacking in behalf of the merchant marine. With both party nominees now committed to an upbuilding policy for American shipping and with both parties professing friendship for the cause, what excuse will theer be for letting the coining session of congress pass without the enactment of some helpful legislation to that end! 000000000000000K5O?O00i)G J o n "The Store That Does Things." P. A. STOKES MEN'S OUTFITTERS OVERCOATS We have 'em from the short top coat to the pop ular belted back, double breasted fifty-two inch lengths. Made from neat, catchy patterns, such as will appeal to all good dressers, price is a secondary () and o v matter, o $7.50 TO $30.00 ESHIfl U J v hbh 1 k I . A HrtSffncr I Xj (J Mir Hind Tutored H i ' 6 o o () O o o Men's Suits i o This is the department o we take especial pride in q calling Hero that is in the We are showing some hand- some suitings in browns and 3 grayn, both inthe homespun and worsted effects. To 0 IS! buy a suit hero is to be S fashionably dressed. One Price to All your attention to. 0 we have everything q Ml worth mentioning 8 ''Sartorial" world. $IO.OO to $30,00 NO ISSUE ON MERCHANT MARINE. Among our republican contemporaries we note a very general editorial reticence on the subject of the American merchant marine as referred to by Judge Parker in his letter of acceptance, says the New York Commercial lie said that "the record of the democratic party gives assurance that the task (of restoring our merchant marine) can be more wisely intrusted to it" than to the Republicans. There is really little in the latter 's record to which they can DARWIN'S THEORY COMBATTED. The maxim of "live and learn" might be well re inforced by "live and unlearn," if one woul get a clear idea of the progress of the human mind in the field of theories drawn from physical re search, says the Examiner. Darwin spent his life investigating material things, and then conceived his scheme of evolution. No man within the century so influenced the thinking mind. His doctrine of evolution, as a re suit of his own experience, semed so sound that it for years was accepted as absolute and infallible In the conflict between Darwinism and religion the advocate of religion often became apologetic, ac cepted the scientist's theories as established facts and sought to make the eternal truth that God made the world out of nothing and man in His own image and likeness conform to the set rules of the great English materialist. He was not content to wait the result of other scientists working along the same lines that Darwin followed, but demanding that their experience prove his theories before accepting them. Now comes Count Hugo de Vries, professor of botany in the University of Amsterdam. This scien tist from the land of tulips draws his con elusions from plants. He followed a line of work similar to Darwin, and he advances a theory op posed to the cardinal points of that of the English man. The doctrine of heredity as advocated by Dar win he finds to be unsound He combats Danvin's theory of the origin of species. Thus we have two great, minds in the same lino of investigation arriving at diametrically opposite results. So it runs in speculative thought. The fact of yesterday is the absurdity of today. The only thing we are certain of in speculative philosophy is that we are certain of nothing. All of which goes to show how foolish is a bigoted certainty in the correctness of one's own theories and the intolerance of the theory of the other man. POULTRY AND PORK. A poultry-breeder says a farmer will feed a bushel of corn to produce six pounds of pork worth 25 cents, while this bushel would keep a hen a year. She would lay at least 12 dozen eggs, which, averag ing 10 cents a dozen, would equal $1.20, and she would rear a brood of chickens worth twice as much more, making a total of nearly $5.00. Experiments made at the Utah agricultural experiment station seem to prove the correctness of the statement made in the paragraph quoted above. Another paper says : "Forty dozen eggs will bring more money than a load of hay, which requires a great deal of labor to produce and a good-sized patch of ground to grow, besides a lot of sweat. Study the egg question. Secretary "Wilson is not worrying himself just now about the boll weevil, as he is giving all his at tention to the democratic poll weevil. A number of politicians regard the assurances that a candidate will do his best to abolish graft not as a promise but as a thrat. The welcome season is not very far distant when the drinking water will have to be thawed instead of boiled. P. A. STOKES MThe Store That Does Things." MEN'S OUTFITTERS! 0000OSO00000000000000 0Ok00.0.000?00 A .0. U. W. Funeral Notict. Members of Seaside Lodge No. 12 are hereby notified to assemble at the residence of our late brother, Timothy Jo Kelly, at 779 Franklin avenue, to attend the Funerul of the deceased. The funeral service will take pluce tit 9 a. ro. at the noune, and at 10 o'clock at St. Mary'e Church. By order of C. E. FOSTKR Master Workman Seeking a Wife. The Star tells all about It this week. It will make you laugh. Broke Into His House. S. Le Qulnn of Cavendish, Vt, was robbed of his customary health by In vasion of chronic constipation. When Dr. King's New Life rills broke Into his house, his trouble was arrested and now he's entirely cured. They're guar anteed to cure, 25c at Chaa. Rogers' drug store. Personal. Wife wanted by a young Frenchman. Apply at the Star, this week. Confessions of a Priest Rev. Jno. S. .Cox of Wake, Ark., writes, "For 12 years I suffered from yellow jaundice. I consulted a num ber of physicians and tried all sorts of medicines, but got no relief. Then I began the use of Electric Bitter and feel that I am now cured of a disease that had me In Us grasp for 12 years." If you want a reliable medicine for liver and kidney trouble, stomach disorder or general debility, get Electric Bit ters. It's guaranteed by Chas. Rogers. Only 60c. AN A5T0RIA PRODUCT Pale Bohemian Beer Best In The Northwest North Pacific Brewing Co. H HiHHimnrmniiinniiHTma Staple and Fancy Groceries FLOUR, FEED, PROVISIONS, TOBACCO AND CIGARS. Supplies of All Kindt at Loett Prloea for Fishermen, Farmers and Logg.re. BranchUnionlown, Phones, 711, , Uniontowo, 713 A. V. ALLEN, Tenth and Commercial 8treets. ASTORIA, OREGON. nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxrmxrriixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx C3000000000000000000 JfLUMJSlNUandTIMININU 2 8TEAM HEATING, GA8 FITTING, ROOFING AND REPAIRING BATH TUB 8, SINKS, CL08ET8 AND OTHER FIXTURE8 IN 8TOCK. ONLY THE BES T. CALL. AND GET OUR PRICES 425 Bond Street Phone 1031 600000000000000000000 J. A. Montgomery o o 0 o To Earn More, Learn More Young Men! Why waste the winter months paying $4 or $5 per week for your board and edging, while you are earning ittle or nothing? Why not at tend the Pacific Lutheran Acad edy where you can get gooA schooling, board and lodging for ess money than your board, odgingand incidental expenses will cost you here? If you are interested in finding out how this can be done write for the school catalogue. DEPARTMENT B, PACIFIC LUTHERAN ACADEMY. Parkland, Wash. Now is the time to lay in a winter's supply of COA The most convenient and econ omical fuel you can burn We sell the best coal for all purposes. Free Delivery. Phone orders to No. 1961. 5. ELMORE CO.